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Iron Stars
Iron stars don't exist in our epoch, but are theorized to form in the far future. In some theoretical models, where parts of the Universe can be far older then ours or in an aged universe, such celestial bodies could exist. If cold fusion occurs in nature and if proton decay does not occur, matter inside stellar remnants like Black Dwarfs (cooled White dwarfs) will decay into Fe56, the most stable iron isotope. Many scientists consider cold fusion not to be possible. According to them, iron stars might not be able to form. The universe In an aged universe, there will be no visible stars. There will be no matter to form new stars. Even the longest-living stars, M - type stars, become White dwarfs when they exhaust their hydrogen. Then, for a lengthy period of time, white dwarfs cool down and become Black Dwarfs. If Hawking radiation exists, Black holes near the end of their lives start to glow and for some time become the only source of light in an aged universe. But in the end they also parish. In our epoch, even in the intergalactic space, there is not absolute zero. The lowest natural occurring temperature is 3K or -270C. However, in an aged universe, we can expect temperatures as low as 0.0001K. The star Based on the properties of White dwarfs, we can speculate that iron stars will have similar masses. The smallest theoretical white dwarfs form from the largest cooling Brown Dwarfs and should have a mass of 0.06 Solar masses. The largest white dwarfs can reach nearly 1.4 Solar masses. White dwarfs are very compact objects, with a diameter between 5000 and 10000 km. Basically, they have the mass of a star squeezed in the size of a rocky planet. Iron stars will be the same massive. However, since iron atoms behave different, they should be a bit more compact. White dwarfs are kept in equilibrium by the electron degeneracy pressure. If they exceed 1.4 Solar masses, then gravity overwhelms this pressure and they collapse into Neutron stars. However, during cold fusion, some electron capture reactions occur in the process of iron formation. This means that there will be less free electrons and the most massive black dwarfs will collapse. White dwarfs no longer support fusion reactions. They glow because of the heat they conserved. Over billions of years, they cool into Black Dwarfs. Cold fusion still produces some energy, but is unable to heat black dwarfs above 1K. When the whole matter is converted into iron, cold fusion finally ceases and the stellar remnant can cool further. Basically, iron stars produce no radiation at all. They don't heat any orbiting planet in any way. They can be observed only by their gravitational effect. Over long periods of time, tidal friction causes stars and planet to slow their rotation speed. Iron stars should be rotating very slow, maybe once an year or even slower. Planets Giving the extremely long period of time needed for an iron star to form, it is questionable if any planet will still be orbiting. Inner planets are forced to fall on the star, while outer planets are pushed further away and ejected into space. However, there is a chance for a tidal-locked planet to be orbiting an iron star for a long time. Also, a free-floating planet can be captured into orbit. Cold fusion also occurs on planets, but at a far lower scale. Also, as the Universe ages, there will be less lighter elements. Planets would had lost many of their volatiles over time. Gasses (and maybe also water) will be in tenuous amounts. Planets will be rich in metals, iron being the most dominant one. Temperature will be very close to absolute zero, both on the surface and in the core of any planet. In the absence of geological activity and in the absence of meteorite bombardments, over a long timescale, a planet will transform. Its own gravity will force mountains and depressions to vanish. What we will have is a Plain Planet, perfectly flat, with hard solid surface and very cold. Colonization It is questionable what would be the options for settlers that one day will reach such a planet. Civilizations that might exist at that time will be adapted to different conditions then we are. Let's suppose that humans will one day find an aged corner of our Universe and will like to settle on a planet orbiting an iron star. In theory, we could change the orbit of such a planet into an ellipse, to create tidal friction. However, this will have no effect, because tidal friction has almost no efficiency for solids. The planet needs a hot, molten core for this. Paraterraforming can be a solution. We can build dome cities or build underground. However, there will be major problems. The first problem settlers will have, is finding a source of energy. The planet will have no radioactive elements and trace amount of deuterium, which can more easily be fused. The second problem will be creating the base itself. There will be only trace amounts of water and volatiles.